A plunger or ball shooter is seen on a pinball machine at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

A plunger or ball shooter is seen on a pinball machine at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Pinball machines are seen at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Pinball machines are seen at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Pinball machines are seen at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Pinball machines are seen at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Pinball machines are seen at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Pinball machines are seen at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Pizza cook Ian Brink plays the Attack from Mars pinball machine during a break while working at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Pizza cook Ian Brink plays the Attack from Mars pinball machine during a break while working at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Paul McCoy, woh works at the nearby Federal Building, plays the Batman pinball machine at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Paul McCoy, woh works at the nearby Federal Building, plays the Batman pinball machine at the Hi-Life restaurant in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

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Tarik Kazaleh of Oakland plays the Demolition Man pinball machine at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Tarik Kazaleh of Oakland plays the Demolition Man pinball machine at The Legionnaire bar in Oakland.

Photo: Michael Short / The Chronicle

Pinball is now legal in Oakland for the first time in 80 years

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For the first time in 80 years, you can now legally play pinball in Oakland.

As reported by the Chronicle’s Carolyn Jones in June, Oakland was one of thousands of cities to ban pinball in the 1930s because the machines were essentially used for gambling, since there were no flippers and winners received cash payouts from the bartender.

Last month, the ban was officially lifted. Inspired by a big, month-long pinball tournament happening at Oakland’s Radio Shack right now, Wired now has a pretty nice exploration into the history — and renaissance — of pinball machines in the Bay Aera:

“We’ve had a really big pinball renaissance and resurgence in the past five years,” said Jody Dankberg, director of marketing for Stern, the only company in America currently manufacturing pinball machines.

“We’re seeing a huge growth in location pinball, a huge growth in league play, tournaments, and things like that,” Dankberg said. “Organizations like the IFPA, these competitive players, they’ve really been the driving force behind getting some of these bans lifted.”